Automatic view-finder.



W. W. KING.

AUTOMATIC VIEW FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY28.1914.

Patented Ma fd/m1121061@ Inventor Attorneys lowing,1 is a specication.

w. e, or Daarvan, como f avremmo' view-suman.

assises Tri-ell @homes may concern:

lle it known that l, Waimea W. Kane, a citizen ci the Unit/ed States,4 residing et Denver, vin the county .ol Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Automatic View-Finder, oi which 4the folrlhe present invention apertains to view inders for cameras, and t e like, and aims to provide a novelaod improved automatic view finder, lwhich will adjust itself to either the horizontal or vertical position of a caro- BHL The .present invention .contemplates the provision ci an automatic view finder of unique construction, whereby the device will and whereby the device will he comparatively simple, oonencumbering and f: struction.

lll/'ith the Jfioregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in lthe combination and arrangement oparts `and in the details of construction hereinater demribed and claimed, it being understood that changes Vin the precise 'bodiment of the invention herein disclosed can m made within the scope of what is claimed without chnvexed cap or closure 2 is tted or otherdeparting from the spirit of the inventaion.

'lhe invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying diawing,'wherein Figure l is a plan view of the improved view finder. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig; 3 is a longitudinal section or the device, taken on the line 3;-3 ol'llig. l. Fig. d is a cro section taken on the line of Fig'. 3.

vln carrying out the resent invention, there is provided a cylin rical ease or shell which has its forward end open, and a wise engaged into the mouth or open end of the caseor shell,`"the dag 2 being provided with sacentral leus 3,- an with a lower *foot piece' or flange-l lor readily attaching the case or'shell l to the camera or othersimilar contrivance.

The top or back of the case or shell l is provided intermediate of its ends with a,

transverse. rectangular or elongated opening 5, while one side of the case or shell is provided with a longitudinal rectangular or elongated opening 6. Frosted glass panels Specification of Letters Patent.

@AV8 lill COll- Patented il/lay d, MM5.

lsf 1. sperme@ are@ nay as, isis., serial no. sarees.

or image glasses 7 and8 are secured within the respective openings 5 and 6.

Disposed loosely within the case or shell l is an oscillatory sleeve or inner shell 9, having tted therein a diagonal or oblique mirror or reector l0. The forward end of the Sleeve 9 is open, and preferably has a rela. tively narrow inturned iange or lip l1 to retain the mirror or reector l0 in place. The sleeve 9 is also provided with an oponing `12 above the mirror, whereby the image thrown upon the mirror l0 from the lens 3 will be -reected through the opening 1:2 aanst one or the other of the image glasses a 'lhe rear end 13 oi the sleeve or carrier 9 of the mirror l0, is in the form of a ball cage, the same hai/ine; an inner annular ball race ll for pivotally or anti-frictionally mounting the sleeve or carrier 9 within the case or shell l. 'lo this end, a bolt 15 is engaged centrally through the rear end of the case or shell l, and a pair of ball cones 16 are mounted upon the bolt l5, the head 17 of the bolt l5 being disposed within the case l and lbearing against the forward cone lo, while nuts 3.8 are threaded upon the outwardly projecting end of the bolt 15. A spacer washer 19 is preferably mounted upon the bolt l5 between the inner end of the case l and the rearmost cone lo, whereby when the nuts i8 are tightened, the cones 16 will be'clamped rigidly in place. The ball cage 13 surrounds the cones i6, and an annular series of ball bearings Q0 are disposed within the ball race v14 and the ball race-formed by the cones 16, in order that the sleeve or carrier 9 may oscillate freely and without interference. lt will be observed that the rear end of the carrier is so pivoted to the rear end of the case, as to swing about en axis arallel with the glasses or panels 7 and 8 and the sides of the case.

ln order to hold the carrier or sleeve 9 at normal position with the opening 12 uppermost, a Weight 21 of any suitable character is secured upon. the bottom or lower portion oi the sleeve 9.

As a means for limiting the movement of the sleeve or carrier 9., and for leveling the 105 adjacent its rear end and projecting slightly beyond the longitudinal median lines of the llo openings 5 end 6. A pointer or pin is secured to the rear end of the sleeve 9 Aor the :member 13 at the upper end ot the mirror or rellector 10, and coperetes with suitable graduutions 24C provided upon the cese l adjacent the slot 22. :1re arranged adjacent the ends of the slot 22 or in rear of the respective image glasses 7 and 8.

ln use7 the view inder may be readily et tached to e camera or the like, and when the calimera is adjusted in horizontal and vertical positions, the Currier 9 will nutoniaticully swing, under the influence ot the weight 2l, to bring the mirror l0 into eooperation with the proper image glass 7 or 8, according to the horizontal or Vertical position of the. camere. lt is thus unnecessary for the operator or photographer to manually set the View finder, sind the image will be properly reflected against 'the image gloss 7 when the camere is horizontal, or ogziinst the image glass 8 when the camere is swung to n vertical position.

rl`he present device will also assist in properly positioning the czimermthe pointer 23 cooperating# with the respective grziduotions 2t to indicate either the horizontal or verticol position oi' the camere, or the angular position thereof. lll`he camere may thus be readily set to the horizontal or vertical position. which will also assure of the proper taking of the picture.

From the foregoing, the advantages and capabilities oi' the present device will be The graduations 24' nieneee obvious to those versed in the ortg Without further comment being necessary.

Hei/in thus described the invention, whaty carried by the rear end of the ease and proyided with en annular bell race eoperable with the seid cage, a series of bull bearings disposed Within the said bell reces, :in oblique mirror mountel within the seid shell, and a Weight carried by the bottom of the shell.

2. A View finder comprising1 a cese having image panels e shell disposed loosely within the esse and having e rear bell cage provided With on inner annular ball rnc-e, the shell having for-ward and upper openings, e. bolt engaged through the rem' end of the cese9 :i pair of ball cones mounted vupon the bolt Within the ball coge, on annuler series ot bell bearings engaging the seid ball cones und ball race, an oblique mirror tted within the shell, und a Weight carried by the bottom of the shell.

ln testimony that claim the "foregoing as my own7 l have hereto. :ixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

VLTE TW. llNG. wvl/"itnesses1 Winnnim lli/nement? Timoria? 

